Empty signal for columnar merchandising machines



March 12, 1957 c. GABRIELSEN EMPTY SIGNAL FOR COLUMNAR MERCHANDISINGMACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June '7, 1952 4 TTOP/VEY March 12, 1957c. GABRIELSEN 2,784,871

EMPTY SIGNAL. FOR COLUMNAR MERCHANDISING MACHINES Filed June 7, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 C Afp/s 77m/ GHeR/ELSEA/ j; WMLSM H TTOPNEY United ttesEMPTY SIGNAL FR CLUMNAR MERCHANDISING MACHINES Christian Gabrielsen,Mountain Lakes, N. .1., assigner to Rowe Manufacturing Co., Inc.,Whippany, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 7, 1952,Serial No. 292,291

1 Claim. (Cl. 221-6) My invention relates to` an improvement in emptysignals for columnar merchandising machines and more particularly to anempty signal of simplified construction, certainty in operation andsurreness in performance.

ln columnar vending machines the merchandise to be vended, as, forexample, cigarettes, is stacked in a plurality of columns each providedwith its own selector button in the case of electrical machines, or pullknob in the case of manual machines. Machines are provided with columnlocking devices to prevent the operation of a machine when a column isdepleted of merchandise to prevent a purchaser from operating themachine and not receiving merchandise though losing his money. lt isIadvantageous to provide a signal to indicate to a user that aparticular column of merchandise is depleted in order to save him theyannoyance and bother of attempting to operate the machine only to findthat that particular brand is not present in the machine and then havingto operate the coin return mechanism to get his money back. Some of thedevices of the prior `art which perform this function are expensive tomanufacture and diicult to m-aintain. Others are of extremelycomplicated construction.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved empty signal whichis simple :and inexpensive to construct. Another object of my inventionis to provide an empty signal which is certain in operation and troublefree in maintenance.

Another object of my invention is to provide an empty signal which inthe case of electrical machines may act as an empty lock to prevent theoperation of the machine as well as indicating a particular column isempty.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the followingdescription:

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instantspecification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and inwhich like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in thevarious views:

Figure l is a fragmentary sectional view of la columnar vending machineshowing the construction of my empty signal in connection with a manualmachine.

Figure 2 is a fragmetanary sectional View taken along the line 2 2 ofFigure l.

AFigurel is a fragmentary perspective view showing a detail of my emptysignal.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a portion of an electrically operatedcolumnar vending machine with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along the line S-S of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the vending machine comprises a housing1t) supporting a plurality of columns 12 'adapted to hold merchandisesuch as cigarettes indicated bythe reference numeral 14 in dottedoutline. The merchandise is stacked and adapted to vend the bottommostpackage 16 first. This package is carried by an ejector 18 whichsupports the column of merchandise lCC within the confines of thecontainer in a manner that the merchandise cannot be shaken ordislodged. When coins of the proper denomination are deposited. in themachine the plunger 20 is freed bymeans well known to the art and hencenot shown or described. The plunger may be pulled forwardly in a slot 22provided in the ejector housing 24 so that the ejector 18 is free `ofthe bottommost package 16. This package and tall of the packages aboveit move downwardly by gravity and rest upon the top of the ejectorhousing 24. When the plunger operating handle 26 is again returned tothe position shown in Figure 1 the ejector pushes the package of'cigarettes lying upon the ejector housing 24 rearwardly to `a chute forpassage to the purchaser, -as is well known in the art. As the ejector18 returns in this ejecting operation `it supports the remainingpackages of merchandise within the container in the position shown inFigure 1.

The housing 10 is provided with a plurality of windows 28, one for eachcolumn. Mounted onl the casing 10 l provide a plurality of lugs 30through which extends a pivot rod or wire 32. The signal itselfcomprises a member 34 made of sheet metal or the like having an upperportion 36 bent backwardly and carrying on its upper surface a display40 bearing the words Sold Out or the like. The member 34 is providedwith a pair of ears 3% intermediate its ends. These ears are providedwith openings through which the pivot rod 32 passes. In this manner thesignal member 34 is pivotally mounted adjacent each window 2S. A spring42 biases the member 34 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction asviewed `in Figure l and in the direction shown by the arrows in Figure3, that is, to a position to bring the display 40 underneath the window28, `as shown by the dotted lines in Figure l.

The empty signal operating member 44 is loosely mounted in slots 46 and48 formed in a mounting member 5t) running transversely of the machine.There is one empty signal operating member 44 for each empty signalmember 34, that is one for each column. The member 44 is provided with acam edge 52 against which the lower end 54 of the pivoted member 34abuts. The biasing means acting through the pivoted member 34 and itslower end 54 urges the empty signal operating member 44 to the right, asviewed in Figure l. The member 44 is former with a portion 56 projectingbeyond the mounting slot 46 and adapted to labut the edge of thelowermost package of merchandise 16. The package of merchandise,therefore, resists the movement to the right of the empty signaloperating .member under the iniiuence of the biasing means and maintainsthe empty signal display 4t) in its full line position in Figure l clearof the window 28. As soon as the last package of the column drops to theejector housing 24 it will be clear of the projection 56. When thisoccurs the spring 42 will rotate the pivoted member 34 in acounterclockwise direction causing its lower end 54 to move to theright, urging the empty signal operating member 44 to move to the right.This motion is a simple sliding motion and continues until the notch, 58formed inthe bottom edge of the empty signal operating member- 44 issea-ted on the edge of the slot 48 formed in the mounting member 50. Theempty signal, therefore, will remain in the empty indicating positionuntil the machine is `again loaded and the empty column is replenishedwith merchandise. At this time the service man will lift the emptysignal operating member 44 and reposition i-t so that it again will beheld outwardly, as viewed in Figure l, by the bottommost package ofcigarettes of the stack with which the column has been refilled. It isnoted that the ejector housing 24 is provided with a notch 60 into which1 fall by gravity when the last package of cigarettes is dispensed. Theempty lock 62 comprises a lever pivoted around pin 64 carried by theejector 1S. The upper end 66 of the lempty lock lever 62 yabuts thebottom of the bottommost package of cigarettes 16 and rotates the leverin a countercliockwise direction, `as viewed in Figure l, to lift thehook 61 and maintain it out of engagement with the stop notch 6o. Assoon as the last pakage of cigarettes. is dispensed gravity will causethe empty lock lever to rotate in a clockwise direction to seat the hook61V in the notch 66 and thus prevent the ejector from being pulled tothe left.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 in which there is shown the manner ofapplying my empty signal to an electric machine, there is shown ahousing iii as in the case of the mechanical machine shown in Figures l,2 and 3. Similarly, there are a plurality of vertical containers l2housing packages of cigarettes 14. The lowermost package 16 of the stackrests upon an ejector- 18 mounted for movement in an ejector housing 24.It is understood, of course, that there is one ejector for each columnof merchandise. The front of 4the housing is formed wit-h a transparentportion 1l through which a plurality of windows 28, one for each column,may be viewed. In the electric machine the ejectors 18 are. operatedfrom an electric motor, as is well understood by those skilled in theart. Only sutiicient of the dispensing mechanism to enable theunderstanding of the instant invention will be described. Extendingacross the machine is `an operating bar 70. Whenever the motor (notshown) of the dispensing mechanism is energized the operating bar willmove to the left and back to the position shown in Figure 5. Theoperating bar furnishes the power for moving the selected ejector. ofcoupling spools 72, one for each ejector. The bottom of the ejector-isformed with a re-entrant portion 7 4 normally uncoupled from theoperating bar 70. When a push button 76 is pressed it moves to the rightand through link 78 moves the coupling actuating cam Si) to the right.The cam surfacesv 82 and 84 of the actuating cam in moving to the rightwill lift the cam Si) and hence the coupling spool 72 upwardly. Thiscouples the operating bar 70 with the ejector through the re-entrantportion '74. At the same time the movement to the right of the actuatingcam 80 will rotate the member 86 which is operatively connected to theactuating cam 80 in `a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, thusrotating the shaft SS which is secured to the member 86. The rotation ofshaft S8 will close a switch (not shown) when there are sufficient coinsin the machine register. The switch energizes the motor and starts thevending cycle. Mounted upon the ejector housing 24 there are a pluralityof buffer members 90 urged to moveto the left, as Viewed in Figure 5, byrespective springs 92. It is understood, of course, that there is onebuffer member for each push button. At the terminal portion of thestroke of the push button the end 94 of the link 78 will abut theprojection 96 of the buffer member 90 and cushion the stroke of the pushbutton.

A mounting plate 98 extends across the machine and carries a pluralityof brackets 30 similar to those shown in Figure 3 for mounting the emptysignal pivot rod 32 as described above. A plurality of empty signalpivoted plates 34 similar to those shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 arepivotally mounted upon the rod 32, there being one for each column. Eachof the empty signal plates 34 is provided with lugs 38 formed with holesthrough which the pivot rod 32 passes. Respective springs 42 areprovided normally tobias the empty signal plates 34 to rotate in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 5. The upper portion ofcach empty signal plate 34 is bent backwardly to form a portion 36carrying the display 40 adapted to be viewed through the Window ZS whenthe The operating bar carries a plurality empty signal is rotated in acounterclockwise direction under the influence of its spring 4Z.

As in the previous embodiment of the invention, there is a mountingmember 50 for the empty signal operating members 44 which slidablymounts the plurality of empty signal operating members, one for eachempty signal. The cam surface 52 of each operating member 44 engages thelower portion 54 of each empty signal plate and rotates each plate in aclockwise direction against the action of each respective spring 42owing to the abutment of the projection 56 against the bottommostpackage of merchandise 16 of each column. This holds the empty signaldisplay 4G in the full line position shown in Figure 5 clear of itswindow 28 so that it cannot be seen by a user. When the last package ofmerchandise is dispensed the empty signal will rotate to the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 5 and in so doing will move the operatingmember 44 to its dotted line position. It is understood that this motionis permitted by the absence of a package of merchandise in the column`against which the projection S6 can abut. The empty signal is now inposition to be viewed through the window 28. The operating member 44 isintegrally formed with a depending portion 100 so that when theoperating member is'in the dotted line position shown in Figure 5 thismember will be in the path of the upper portion 102 of the tail of cam80. When the push button is pressed the portion 102 contacts thedepending portion lo() which blocks its movement. This contact occursfirst before the switch operating member 86 has rotated to switchclosing position and before the cam moves upwardly sufficiently toengage the coupling spool 72 with the ejector portion 74. Accordingly,the machine is prevented from operating, iirst because the motor cannotbe energized, and secondly because the operating bar is not coupled tothe ejector. In the electrical machine, therefore, the empty signal notonly shows a purchaser that a column is empty, but also positivelyprevents that column from being operated, that is, it performs thefunctions of an empty lock.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. Myempty signal comprises only two mov ing parts, the pivoted membercarrying the display and the empty signal operating member 44. My emptysignal is positive in that it actually senses the presence or absence ofmerchandise in the column and does not depend on a counting arrangementor other indirect means. Accordingly, it is simple to maintain andinexpensive to construct. Not only does my empty signal indicate to thepurchaser that a particular column is empty, but in the case of anelectric machine it also acts as an eiicient empty lock positivelypreventing the operation of the machine by rendering the selector meansfor that column inoperative.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of myclaim. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in detailswithin the scope of my claim Without departing from the spirit of myinvention. It is therefore to be understood that my invention is not tobe limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a merchandising machine a housing formed with a window, a columnarcontainer for holding articles to be vended, an ejector for dispensingthe bottomrnost article in the container, a signal for indicating thatthe con# tainer is empty, means for mounting the signal for pivotalmovement to and away from a position visible through the window, biasingmeans for moving` the signal to ra position visible through the window,signal actuating means having operative engagement withv the signal andthe bottommost article in the container for mounting the signal in aposition away from Viewl through the Window against the action of thebiasing means, the construction being such that when engagement of theactuating means with the bottommost =article is lost owing to thedispensing of the last article in the container the biasing means willmove the signal into position visible through the window, said signalactuating means comprising la slideable member, means carried by thehousing for mounting the slideable member for movement in a generallyhorizontal plane, one end of the slideable member carrying a cam surfacenormally contacting the signal and` being formed with a dependingportion, movable means for operating the ejector, said depending portionbeing normally supported by the slideable member mounting means out ofthe path of movement of the ejector operating means, means carried bythe other end of the slideable member for contacting the bottommostarticle in the container to maintain the depending portion out of thepath of movement of the ejector operating means, and coacting meanscarried by the slideable member and its mounting means for permittingthe movement of the depending portion into the path of travel of theejector operating means when the last article in the container isdispensed to prevent the action of the ejector operating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS839,304 Long Dec. 25, 1906 1,209,758 Richardson Dec. 26, 1916 1,356,345Dun Lany Oct. 19, 1920 1,393,964 Potts et al. Oct. 18, 1921 1,506,813Camelo et al Sept. 2, 1924 1,639,615 Sapp Aug. 16, 1927 1,788,523Jennings et al. Ian. 13, 1931 1,803,146 Robbins Apr. 28, 1931 2,211,799Tatter Aug. 20, 1940 2,231,952 Rowe et al. Feb. 18, 1941 2,281,487Finkel et al Apr. 28, 1942 2,546,690 Gabrielsen Mar. 27, 1951 2,610,100Childers Sept. 9, 1952 2,650,149 Munz et al Aug. 25, 1953

